The benefits of a press release and its distribution through public relations are far-reaching. In the age of new media, press releases are being adapted to help you make valuable promotional work to spread your message. A press release helps generate media coverage, including on blogs, in podcasts, etc. - no matter how big or small your band is, you'll benefit from public relations.
Even if you do not always have the "big story" to tell: you have stories to report to music magazines and other publications that cover your genre. Of course you can not get the coverage if you do not ask to tell your story!
With a long-term strategy and the appropriate press work, you let the public know who you are, what you do, why you need them. As you do so, you will gain the media attention of journalists over time and you will also strengthen your fans and confidence in your work, music and products or events.
How important is it to focus on smaller local media? Many of the major media receive a significant proportion of their reports on local media from around the world. That's how the whole news industry works. A journalist takes a message and it can spread from one publication to the next. So also in the music industry: labels, bookers, festivals, etc. need you and constantly observe all the news and keep your eyes wide open.
I'd like to make clear to you the importance of press releases because they provide the balance that a newcomer has as much chance of getting the media's attention as an established band with a handsome, contractually assured PR and advertising budget. Sure, a band with a record label and budget can afford to coordinate its own promotion department and expensive advertising circuits. But again, the cornerstone of the promotion campaign will be the simple press release.
Ways to the media
How do I get to a media partner?
Through research, friends and attentive newspaper reading! If in doubt, you should always call the medium directly and ask for the right contact person, note down each contact and maintain:
When was something sent?
What was agreed and with whom? On the phone or by e-mail?
And for further processing and evaluation you need to know what was actually reported then.
Have voucher copies for the archive arrived?
Was the report positive, negative or neutral?
The press distributor
When setting up the press distribution, it is important that you also assign journalists and media to the respective ministries such as music, dates / events, culture, local / regional, editor-in-chief, etc. and the media genre, such as ...
- newspapers / daily press,
- audience magazine,
- Trade journal,
- weekly,
- freelance journalists,
- International,
- news agency,
- Online medium, Blogger,
- radio and TV,
... to ensure, depending on the nature of your information to be disseminated, that these are tailored to your particular contact and thus supplied with the appropriate information.
Notes on the publication (monthly, daily, weekly, ...) and the editorial deadline help you to submit the information on time to place your news or your product for a review in a timely manner. The circulation and the distribution area of the single medium are important later for an evaluation of the range in the reworking.
Most of the time you personally build up contacts with media partners to help you publish your message, rather than a circular to anonymous mailing list. So it can also decide the quality of a contact on a footprint, not just the number of collected contacts.
Distribution and dissemination of your information to the press
Always pay attention to whom you provide what information and adjust the distribution to the content of the message. Communications to the press must arrive before the editorial deadline.
Offline media: You should definitely ask the respective editorial deadline for the respective medium and, for example, record recurring dates (like every 10th of the previous month) in your press mailing list.
Online media: As a rule, an immediate release is possible here.
For important dates, you should give an advance notice early.
Press materials can be sent individually by e-mail, post or fax or given in person in conversation with a press representative or the responsible editorial staff. It is better to clarify in advance how the recipient wants to receive your message. To facilitate the work of the editors by e-mail, but also because of different technical standards, the text should be sent after consultation in the desired format as an attachment (such as PDF or open document).
Place information correctly
One question that keeps cropping up in seminars is: why does our press release get little attention in the news or fail completely if the media does not answer?
Often, the text was written quickly and makeshift by anyone or the message was just just online without having to spread. So you need to constantly tweak your texts to find out what works best for you. A strong headline, a good hanger, the timeliness and the news value are some of the factors. This also means:
The biggest challenge in public relations work generally or even when writing a press release is to get the public's attention or to directly engage the reader - whether it's an agent, booker, journalist, fan, label or anyone else. Of course, there are thousands of bands other than competitors who are vying with you for this attention. Ideally, you have to do something really special and exciting if you want to stand out from the crowd.
Find a story
Attracting attention through public relations begins with the search for interesting perspectives to tell your story. If your story or your hanger is just boring, then guess what happens: The rest of the extensive and time-consuming press work including all texts for the press will be unimaginative and will ultimately lead to no attention. When trying to find the best story, there are some questions you can ask yourself:
Are there any new trends in the music industry that we can comment on?
Is there any other twist or point of view that I can bring back to an old story or opinion?
Do I have any known artists in the area or VIPs from whom I can get a recommendation or a quote?
Does my story have time-related changes?
How can I integrate my band or song titles into current events or other popular news?
Does anyone in the band have a special award or certification?
Do we use innovative technologies that set us apart from others?
The list is endless. Of course, you understand the point this is about: Your stories for your reports lay the foundation for your success. When you get started and missed opportunities, you've lost every opportunity to get a nice media coverage.
Dealing with the media
Write press texts yourself
Once you have your perfect story for a possible report, you need to create your press release.
Stay focused! Keep in mind that the recipient only has a limited amount of time to scan the info.
That is, the message must arrive as quickly and as clearly as possible. Any information that is unnecessary or does not increase the value of the story: Cut it out directly. Focus on answering who, what, when, where, why and how questions using appropriate quotes to improve the message and let the reader know why your story is relevant and why you should consider it.
If you see that some details do not quite fit in, you can still publish them later in a separate announcement. At the same time, this allows you to get the benefits of a regular publication schedule and better targeting different audiences with each message.
The right length of a press release
The average editor spends a few seconds reading a press release before deciding whether to move it to the trash or to further process it.
The length varies depending on the storytelling. However, one page or less (about 500 words or less) is recommended. So editors can go through the page quickly.
What can you do to really make a press release and not a novel? Here are a few tips on how to do it quickly and to the point:
Focus on answering the most basic questions: Who, what, when, where, why and how?
Determines the answers to these questions before you start writing. Then format these answers into short and easy-to-read paragraphs.
You do not have to tell the whole story to include every single detail that comes to mind.
Remember, your goal is to arouse the journalist's interest in your news or story, and to contact him for more details, an interview, a review, or a report, and to provide them with coverage for can get more range.
The right title
Without a headline that attracts attention, your press work will have little chance of a serious public perception. It is important that the message is read. And that depends on whether your headline is interesting. Focus your hanger on the priorities and unique selling propositions, which offers a real benefit for interested people. Also, make sure that the headline does not come across as a cheap advertising slogan or ad text.
The first paragraph
Press releases are written in the format of an inverted pyramid. This means that the most important information (who, what, when, where, and how) is placed at the top, followed by all other minor details. So get the message straight to the point!
Weniger ist manchmal mehr
Before sending messages, think about who this message is interesting for. Deliver only those journalists for whom your message is useful. Use for your information rather media such as city magazines, for concert dates rather live calendars, etc .; avoids information firing on ministries that are not in the area of responsibility.
Dig deeper!
Ask politely and informatively how it is about printing your text, but do not annoy. Editors are flooded with information every day.
Now or never!
Individual concepts for bands or solo artists, press releases or detailed strategies are not a general panacea for planning the activities of the press and public relations.
I hope the insight will help you to better understand where and when a good PR council or experienced copywriter is essential to bring your music, events and products forward with the goal of having good relationships with the media and fans for a purposefully structured image in public.
I wish you much success.
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